Explosive bullet



Dec. 11, 1945. NELSON 2,390,552

EXPLOS IVE BULLET Filed Aug. 18, 1941 Elmo/whom Richard N Nelscm M j mww Patented Dec. 11, 1945 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE EXPLOSIVE BULLETRichard N. Nelson, Black River Falls, Wis.

Application August 18, 1941, Serial No. 407,297

1 Claim.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me ofany royalty thereon.

This invention relates to explosive or incendiary bullets and moreparticularly to percussion igniting means for such bullets.

It is an object of this invention to produce igniting means whichalthough simple in operation and having a minimum number of parts willbe safe in storage and in handling.

It is a further object of this invention to produce igniting means whichcan be readily assembled for use in small arms ammunition.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects andadvantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferredembodiment as shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a of a bullet embodying myinvention.

Figure 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing amodified form of firing pm.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the accompanying drawing Irepresents a jacket of gilding metal or the like enclosing a body orcore 2 preferably of steel. The core 2 is formed with a chamber in itsrear section adapted to hold an explosive or incendiary charge 3 such astetryl. A bore from the front of the core forms a primer chamber and hasa restricted portion 4 communicating with the charge chamber and forminga fiash passage for igniting the main charge.

Seated against the shoulder 5 formed by the restriction of the bore is afiring pin 6 preferably of steel which may fit loosely in the bore asshown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 or may be longitudinally fluted as shown inFig. 3 to provide for the passage of the igniting flame. For safety instorage and handling the firing pin is secured to its seat by a seal 1of metal such as a thin sleeve of Woods metal adapted to be softened orfused by the heat incident to the firing and passage of the projectilethrough the bore of the gun.

portion The forward end of the bore is closed by an anvil 8 which may beof steel secured against setback in the bore by having an enlarged head9 engaging the front face In of the core 2. It is also contemplated thatthe anvil may be secured to the core by screw threads or the equivalent.Between the anvil and the firing pin a primer charge H such as fulminateof mercury or heavy metal azide in interposed. The firing pin extendsinto the primer charge and is adapted to crush the charge and ignite itupon impact of the bullet.

Upon firing of the projectile the force of setback will hold the firingpin to its seat at the rear of the bore. The high degree of heatdeveloped by the explosion of the propellent charge and by friction as aresult of the passage of the projectile through the barrel and the airwill soften the seal which holds the firing pin to its seat. Upon impactof the projectile the firing pin will tend to continue forward as theprojectile is retarded and will crush the priming compound against theanvil. The resulting explosion will pass to the rear around the firingpin and into the main charge to initiate the same.

I claim:

A bullet comprising a hollow core, a main charge in said core, a jacketenveloping said core and terminating at its forward end in a solid noseseparated from the end of the core, said core having an axial bore inits forward end forming a priming chamber, a priming charge in saidchamber, said chamber having a restricted passage communicating directlywith the main charge. the restricted passage having a shoulder adjacentits forward end, a firing pin normally seated on. said shoulder andextending into the priming.' charge, fusible means holding the firingpin seat-- ed until after firing, said means adapted to be sufficientlymelted by the firing of the bullet to release said firing pin to arm thebullet, an anvil filling the space between the front end of the core andthe nose of the jacket and having a portion extending into the primingchamber against which the firing pin crushes the priming charge uponimpact of the bullet to ignite the priming change.

RICHARD N. NELSON

